The present invention relates to checkout counters and more particularly to a checkout counter which incorporates an optical reader for reading coded labels and automatically inserting the information into an electronic cash register or terminal device. This arrangement requires the operator during most of the checkout operation to merely move each merchandise item past the optical reading without attending the cash register, thereby measurably increasing the speed of the checkout operation. To further increase the checkout operation, prior checkout counter have been constructed to allow the operator to bag the merchandise items as they are being checked out. This arrangement is sufficient to handle all checkout conditions except during peak operating hours. During this latter time, a bagger is normally employed to help bag the items while the operator concerns herself with the checkout portion of the operation. Prior checkout counters were constructed to facilitate the bagging by either the operator or the bagger but not for both. When transferring the bagging operations from one to the other under these conditions, the checkout operation was disrupted which slowed the checkout operation. It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a checkout counter which will eliminate the above drawbacks. It is a further object of this invention to provide a checkout counter construction which can readily be adapted for different modes of bagging operations. It is a further object of this invention to provide a single checkout counter in which a high degree of bagging efficiency can be achieved in each of the modes of bagging operation described above. It is another object of this invention to provide a checkout counter of this type which is simple in construction and operation and therefore low in cost.